MQFF NOTES: Deep Run (2015, Dir. Hillevi Loven)

Cole is a young transgender Christian living with his girlfriend in rural North Carolina. Life in the middle of this deeply conservative community is not easy for anyone, let alone someone with Cole's life experience.

Hillevi Loven's documentary, Deep Run, which opens the struggles of Cole and girlfriend Ashley to longitudinal scrutiny, is expectedly difficult. Beyond the gender and sexuality difficulties, the oppressiveness of the couple's poverty makes for ongoing frustration.

But Deep Run also presents some surprising victories, especially in the small but accepting communities that Cole builds around him. This, of course, is a testament to not only Cole's strength of character but also his impressive and inextinguishable charm.

Cole is a gift to Loven. He provides a very watchable anchor as the film meanders around him. Loven's focus drifts in and out during the film's runtime, with the only real late drama (a disturbing disclosure by the couple's priest) seemingly generated by the film making process itself. Not a good look on the ethics front.

Despite this, Deep Run remains an instructive watch. Visibility will continue to be one of the most important fronts in the battle for true gender diversity and stories from this deep in the Bible Belt can only ever be applauded.

I just hope Cole gets out to see the real world.

★★☆

Trailer:

Deep Run screened as part of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2016.

You can check out other films from the festival here.